Seven Ain't So Lucky
by rocklee4ever
Summary: Beast Boy goes missing for 7 years. Who does he meet along the way? What has happened in his life? Why has he disappeared, and for what reason? And why has he finally come back? Warning: Multiple Cross-overs, Main Pairing: Beast Boy x Raven
1. Intruder Alert

**(A/N):** Hello, this is rocklee4ever speaking and this is my first story (duh!) I have ever published in . And I'd just like to express my gratitude to my beta-reader/close friend Danko Kaji, who without him, this chapter would've been a lot worse.

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Teen Titans, nor their alter egoes (nor any characters I did _not_ create). I just own the fanfic and an OC or two.**

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CH.1- Intruder Alert

Red siren lights flared on and off while the warning alarms echoed raucously within the hallways of Titans Tower, alerting the super hero residents of the breach in their security. Illuminated by the flashing lights, a young man clad in black clothing creeped along the foyer, a massive pile of rubble and torn metal of the once-invincible defense system in his wake. How he was able to accomplish such a feat, no one may ever know.

He stood amongst it all, the noisy chaos, nonchalantly awaiting the heroes to personally greet him. The robotic voice of the security system continued to blare deafeningly throughout the entire building.

"_**INTRUDER ALERT… INTRUDER ALERT… INTRUDER ALERT**_--"

_'A lot has changed… I wonder how much I've missed for the past seven years. Will they even remember me?'_

It wasn't the voice announcement that surprised him, nor the lasers he had dispatched earlier with relative ease; he had intentionally set off the thermal detectors that he could have easily gotten past to surprise the heroes. In all honesty, the entire layout of the suspiciously new ground floor and the peculiar sigils painted on the doors was what caught him off guard. _'Was that Raven's doing?'_

Just as he was deciding whether or not to take a closer look at the runes engaved on the wall, he felt four distinct shadows surround him in a box formation. They all looked upon him with a mixture of utter annoyance and curiosity.

He took a look to his left just as the normal lighting replaced the revolving red phosphorescent lights. A young man garbed in a navy blue and black spandex suit wielded a metal bo-staff in hand, eyeing the intruder with a mean gaze of exasperation. But then again, breaking into someone's home at midnight has this kind of effect on people.

_'So, Robin… or I guess its Nightwing now. Are you still the leader or not?'_

He wasted no time in assessing his dire situation. The first person he saw made his eyes bulge large behind his black sun glasses. A familiar African American friend of his eyed him disdainfully; he wore a plain white, grease-stained sleeveless shirt with torn blue jeans. His whole (suspiciously) fleshy right hand withdrew into his wrist to reveal a familiar blue glow and a unique high-pitched sound. The intruder noted, with well-concealed nervousness, that this could only mean he was charging his cannon.

_'The rumors were true… all flesh... but the same sonic cannon… maybe even modified. It's definitely Cyborg.'_

The hilarous gawp on his face quickly vanished into a smile, though it went unregistered by the others. With hands held lazily above his head, to show he was unarmed, he slowly turned clockwise to take an eyeful of Star Fire, the red-haired exotic beauty from outer space. He immediately noticed the shoulder-length, cropped style of her hair with her neon green eyes glaring in his direction. The Tamaranian princess raised her glowing, clenched fists, about ready to strike at any moment. He suppressed the urge to chuckle.

_'Nice Hello Kitty pajamas there, Star. Probably got them in Japan when you guys nearly found me there three years ago.'_

He averted his eyes to the final member and felt the blood rush to his face, gazing upon her many moments longer then he had on the others. A short-statured, white-caped wizard with a random spell book in hand stood defiantly in front of him, some long strands of her purple waist-length hair splayed on the entire length of her hood.

_'The hair, the book, and the cape… oh man, how much have I really missed… but…'_

A severe wave of sadness washed over him as he noticed Raven's face, still as stone-cold and guarded as ever. He would have preferred to see anything else on her face, even Trigon's ugly smug look or her expressions contorted in anger, confusion, or fury. He wasn't expecting a smile but anything else would have sufficed to show that she was remotely human. Or at least to indicate in some way or form she was living a normal, happy life.

_'Or as normal and happy as Raven could get, anyway…'_

Inevitably, the question to the disguised Beast Boy finally came from Nightwing's mouth.

"Who are you and what business do you have here at Titans Tower?"

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**(A/N):** Any and all questions will be addressed in the Author's Notes next chapter, and please review. Not to boast my ego, but I'd really love to know what you like about the story.

Danko Kaji- This is his close friend speaking, and he gave me absolute freedom to say whatever I want. :p If it weren't for _moi_, this story would've been left in the dust. Seriously. Ciao! See you next chapter!

P.S. I'm the one typing the Author Note's. If it were rocklee4ever, you wouldn't be able to make sense of anything he writes. (rocklee wants to cry, lol)


	2. A Welcome Home Brawl?

**(A/N): **I'm sorry for the slow update. Me and my editor have busy lives and have honestly tried to finish Ch. 2 with all haste - other than the pity party I am having.

Other than that, I'd like to both thank and congratulate my two editors on a job well done. Danko Kaji and especially SaiyanLover, who without this story would turn out a lot worse than I could possibly dish out on my own. Please read and enjoy. :)

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CH. 2- A Welcome Home... Brawl?

"Who are you and what are you doing at Titan's Tower?" Nightwing asked in a menacing tone.

_'Even with new clothes and a different name, he's still the same old Robin...' _

Tilting his head to the side, the intruder replied, "Depends. Let me in to get a good night's sleep and we'll catch up in the morning. How does that sound?" He did indeed feel tired and as if to emphasize his words, he outstretched his well-toned arms and released a gigantic yawn, then absentmindedly dug his hands into his pockets. His impolite, nonchalant behavior apparently increased the tension already present in the chilly air.

Beast Boy couldn't help notice their muscles tensing, the four Titans preparing to lash out the moment he made any sudden movements. _'Impressive, a lot more professional than before.' _

"Trust me; you _don't_ want to do that."

"Come on, Nightwing," interrupted Cyborg. "This guy's asking for a can of butt-whoop and I say we politely oblige him."

Beast Boy's body began to tingle; for once he had a chance to test his power and skill on opponents that were neither weak nor his masters. He seldom found adversaries that could compare with his strength, and was more than eager to demonstrate his prowess to his former teammates.

'_I was so weak and helpless before… a burden to those who considered me their friend and had entrusted their lives in my care. I had my butt kicked around by Slade when I tried to save Robin; when Brother Blood threatened to take apart Cyborg; when Starfire fought that ink monster in Tokyo; and Raven… All I could do was watch from the sidelines and offer advice with a measly penny. But now, I can prove that I have a right to call myself a part of this family, and that I can protect it.'_

Finally, this young boy would become a man as he will watch all his hard work, determination, and training blossom before his very eyes. For once, he could protect those who mattered most to him. _'The best way to do that is by being stronger than_ them_…'_

Unable to keep himself at bay any longer, Beast Boy unleashed two cylindrical bombs from the depths of his pants pockets and hurled them in opposite directions. The element of surprise left all four of his former teammates disoriented, confused, and blinded by the twin explosions that left behind a grey fog.

Nightwing's voice penetrated through the mist first. "Hey! Cyborg! Can you see him?"

"I got nothing; I can't pick up his heat signatu-"

Cyborg received a tap on his shoulder from behind, startling him, and he swiftly whirled around only to recoil from the elbow jab embed into his stomach. The sheer force of the attack knocked the wind out of him. The unexpected blow was quickly followed by an unrelenting series of punches to his chest, which eventually ended with Beast Man attaching a collar around his throat. Beast Man stepped back a careful distance away, and grimly watched how Cyborg's body underwent multiple electrical shocks, which directly interfered with his mechanical systems. His muscles convulsed and contracted painfully by the influence of the volts. Unable to defend himself against this onslaught, Cyborg's entire system went haywire for a few agonizing moments before finally shutting down.

'_Just as I thought; still mechanical on the inside… Well, one down and three to go.' _

Before Cyborg's head could touch the floor, the two female warriors were upon him, relentlessly bombarding star bolts and debris at the mysterious assailant in earnest from the air. The smoke screen thinned out to the point it no longer concealed Beast Man's movements. Beast Man successfully bobbed and weaved his way in-between the injury-inducing hail without great effort. A torrent of torn metal and rubble of random sizes sailed in his direction hand-in-hand with searing hot emerald star blasts. Unable to find an opening in the barrage of magic attacks, Beast Man sprinted towards the girls headlong, flipping, rolling, and cart-wheeling through the deadly projectiles, before launching himself skywards in-between the female Titans, directing their attacks at each other, which forced them to cease fire. They were rebuffed by their respective attacks.

'_My turn,'_ Beast Man smirked, adrenaline boosting his excitement. As soon as the tips of his toes touched the floor he sprinted away with such incredible speed that he ceased to be a solid figure, except a black blur shooting towards Starfire. In response, the Tamaranean fired her star bolts relentlessly and emitted a laser blast from her eyes ferociously at the speed demon, but to no avail. Deciding on a last gamble, she took the offensive, flying with arms outstretched like superman, hoping the stranger would be moving too fast to stop or change direction from the collision coarse they were on. She gravely underestimated him.

Before they could reach each other, Garfield bent his right knee and stooped low, placing his right hand on the cement flooring for balance to nimbly slide underneath Starfire's flying fist. With almost inhuman precision, he hurled his left foot out into the air, which squarely connected to her chin, giving her a severe whiplash. She went sky-high, dangerously close to the ceiling, before she began to free fall straight to the ground.

'_Thank God for Rock Lee,'_ Beast Man thought smugly, but grim.

"Starfire," Nightwing exclaimed, abandoning his futile pursuit of the speedy intruder, darting forward to successfully catch her unconscious form in his arms.

'_Those Hello Kitty PJs aren't good for protection, that's for sure.'_

A giant black raven swooped in from behind the now idle enemy and deposited a white-robed woman with a book open in hand, the shadow regressing into a two-dimensional shape before dissipating. She gave him a hard blank stare, before issuing her calm threat, "You won't get away with what you've done."

He turned around to stare at her, prolonging the eye contact, unsure of what to say because of the guilt before voicing his reply, "They aren't dead. They might have a bruise or two, but I swear they'll be alrigh…" Beast Man's voice trailed away as he noticed something was definitely amiss, next his mouth twitching into a wry smile. _'Very clever, Rae.'_

He finally noticed the oval, paper-thin, glass-like barrier that completely encompassed him; he had foolishly pried his attention away from battle to strike up a conversation with Raven. He gingerly pressed his hand against it, curious to know if it would harm him. Once Beast Man was satisfied it would not endanger him, he punched the solid walls of the barrier as hard as he could until a frown of surprise curled his lips. His hand became enveloped in an elastic substance, and before he knew it the barrier resisted his fist and forced it back.

He always was careless around her, which in time created a habit of focusing on her for hours at a time as she meditated, read a book, or drank her tea. As a result, whenever she said the smallest of sentences he would completely be captivated by the words even if they left him, as they often used to, relatively confused.

'_Call it a weakness, call it a strangely acquired quirk, or call it a base instinct, but don't call it regret,'_ he always told himself whenever he was alone and thinking of Raven. Whenever he pondered this, he would always ask the two questions that continued to plague him since the day of his leaving. _'Do I love her? Does she have any feelings for me?'_

He was pulled out of his thoughts by a light incessant tapping coming from the outside followed by Nighwing's angry and authoritative yell. "Start talking. Who are you and why'd you come here?"

Cyborg cut in before Nightwing could continue. "Seriously, Wing, can't we just send him to the police or something and do this in the morning?"

Starfire nodded to silently express her agreement before she spoke, "Yes, yes, I agree as well, Nightwing."

"The police won't be able to detain him long enough," Raven argued, "We should interrogate him now and get this over with quickly before it becomes a real problem."

"Don't I get a say in this?" Beast Man couldn't help but ask, a cheeky smile evident in his voice.

All the Titans directed their attention on him at that remark, and unable to contain his eagerness, he threw aside the glasses and tore off the ski mask to reveal to the others the familiar tint of green skin, his signature toothy smile stretching his mouth. He stunned them all into silence, their faces beholding varying degrees of surprise. With Raven's being the biggest. _'That's what I was looking for… Rae.'_

His grin continued to stretch out further than it ever had before as he inquired, "Now that we are done getting to know each other again… does this mean I'm a Titan again?"

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**(A/N): **I continuingly am inspired by my fellow authors SaiyanLover and Danko Kaji.

And if this humble author could recommend you a story from both of their works, I'd recommend SaiyanLover's masterpiece _Pieces of Love_, a series of one-shots of BB and Rae; and Danko Kaji's brilliant _Do You Accept It?_ story, a Kingdom Hearts fic novelized in Riku's POV with me as one of his editors.

Until Chap. 3, adios amigos/as.


	3. Trials and Revelations

Trials and Revelations

Beast Man couldn't fall asleep. He laid awake for hours, staring at the ceiling of his old room, exactly the way he had left it, tidy (no doubt to the complete surprise of his family) with all of his trinkets and furniture where he had originally left them. A thick layer of dust had accumulated throughout years of neglect, the only sign of change upon his return.

The digital alarm clock now read 4:38 A.M. and the anxiety that plagued him and knotted his stomach would not go away no matter how many times he used the multiple relaxation techniques he learned during his earlier travels across the world. Soon launching himself off his bed, a bed he had already outgrown, Beast Man went to where he used to find peace and quiet, a place he'd simply chill out. Shape-shifting in an avian creature, an over-sized crow, catching the slight wind on his wings and soaring through the dusk-lit air, he reverts back to human form once his feet touch the roof. Beast Man then seats himself on the edge, staring over the navy blue horizon, reminiscing.

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** Beat Boy strolled down the street, his green skin pigmentation obvious to the people, all teeth and smiles as they either smiled back or spoke small words of praise to the hero of Jump City. But deep down his smile resembled a dessert, barren, a golden wasteland, the people's grins akin to a sleazy automobile salesman's, the small words of praise as insignificant to him as one feels while staring up at the stars.**

** "It isn't their fault, they are indeed nice… come on, Beast Boy, you gotta stop thinking like that…" he said, solemn, muttering to himself, heartbroken and in optimism decline. After the defeat of the Brotherhood of Evil, after the defeat of Trigon, and after their adventure in Tokyo, Beast Boy had hoped to get his mind off of her only to find himself thinking of her even more. This walk, which should've helped to clear his head, cleanse the misery, so far availed him nothing.**

** Furtive movement distracted him from his depression, and he peered into a dark alleyway. Before Beast Boy had realized he had blundered, walked into one of the rougher neighborhoods of Jump, he felt a chill slither down his spine. He could sniff the tension in the air, the animal inside of him being high tuned to danger, warning him of an unknown threat by perchance his first encounter .**

** "This can't be good," he said, and his murmured words serve as a switch; a pair of yellow fluorescent orbs ignited within darkness of a narrow alleyway, the bulbs shifting right and left, attention seemingly mindless, until suddenly locking onto Beast Boy.**

** "Uhh… hello?" Beast boy flashed his best trademark smile. "What are you doing here?"**

** Before he could get a closer look, the thing retreated further into the side street. Beast boy surveyed his surroundings, scanning the graffiti signs, the numerous trash piles, a broken fire escape from the tenement building, and the few syringes scattered across the broken concrete floor. He didn't need his nose, though he wouldn't have used anyway, the God-awful stench that radiated from the trash bags too powerful for his tolerance, to tell him that whatever dwelled there couldn't be good. If Beast Boy really wanted, he didn't have to investigate. But his obligation as a Titan and his unwillingness to return to his previous dejected mood made him overcome the pit he felt in his stomach and trudge on forward into the dark abyss.**

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**

Beast Man felt a gust of wind breeze his face, savoring the morning chill as he assumed the lotus position, facing a more modern Jump City atop the comfort of the Titan's roof. _'Everything has changed, nothing is the same. It's amazing… yet terrifying._'

He gazed at the new spires, what probably and could still be the business district; much of the forest Beast Man used to explore during his free time, vast then and surrounding the city, significantly receded as the city became broader. The pier had expanded, apparently, but the bridge remained the same and afforded Beast Man a moment to remember the night Killer Moth assaulted the public place.

"How long, Raven?" he said, as if speaking to thin air.

A familiar monotone voice replied, "Only half an hour. Give or take a few minutes."

"I meant how long you slept, not watched."

Silence. He turned around to watch the empath glide over in a graceful float, descending to sit beside him, mimicking his sitting position.

"You actually feel comfortable like that?" she said, a quip expressing her mock disbelief towards his least favorite position.

"Oddly relaxing. Now I understand why you insisted on meditating like this," he said, spreading his arms to emphasize his point, lightening the severely awkward mood for a mere moment, until silence fell again. Content with Raven's presence, Beast Man plotted another method to keep the mood positive, yet the woman beside him harbored an opposite train of thought, a memory that hit too close to home.

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**Tears started to leak from emerald eyes, landing on her boyfriend's shirt, and Robin wrapped his arms around her, squeezing her waist in reassurance, stoic expression betraying utter disbelief. Despite his best attempts to convince the princess of Tamaran that 'it can't be true' and 'that he will come back,' his honest hopes fell on deaf ears.**

** The Boy Wonder couldn't fool anybody. What affected Raven the most, seeing the look on Cyborg's half-human face. To describe something akin to heartbreak in simple words proved impossible, yet Raven could register how completely lost Cyborg seemed, lost in the sense the foundations you've always perceived to be true suddenly melt as fast as quicksand. The nauseous sensation equates to an earthquake trembling beneath your feet, but you're standing still.**

** True to her usual self, un-willing to display any shred of emotion regardless the depth of pain, Raven flipped up her hood to conceal her face in one furtive motion before the storm would eventually break through her impassive mask and flood her cheeks in a torrent of tears. Along with three other souls, emotions brimming from miniature suns, Raven's empathy overwhelmed her.**

** She had been sent by Robin to rouse the little green miscreant from bed, for Beast Boy ceased to act like his happy, joke cracking, lighthearted self. Keeping that up for four months naturally made everyone suspicious and concerned. Especially Raven. It grated on her nerves, because she enjoyed him better as himself, even if she would never admit it. Always believing the bright side to everything, always confident there's good in everybody, always leading a simple kind of life, and even if his jokes weren't funny or lacked talent, Beast Boy constantly strived to brighten up their days, **_**her**_** days, with scarce failure. He made her believe she could look at the glass half-full, instead of half-empty, and maybe, just maybe... she's not as evil as her origins once predicted she would be.**

** She had knocked on the door twice, the third being more of a dull punch than a knock. "Come on, Beast Boy, this isn't funny. Stop sulking and get out of there already. It's time for breakfast. Cyborg made... ehgh… tofu," she said, trying to coax him out with her dreary monotone.**

** After moments of unusual silence, she decided to phase through the door without permission, pleasantly surprised and impressed to see the room so clean and tidy. Despite the many changes in the last few months, for some reason this one, after mulling it over, disturbed her most. **_**'What is the occasion of this sudden cleanliness?'**_** An un-marked letter laid atop his pillow, confirming her dread, yet arousing more questions to surface.**

** Raven had read it first, by herself, her eyes unwilling to believe what she had read. Studying it the second time, her intensity could have washed away the words on that flimsy piece of paper, if she possessed Starfire's ability to produce lasers from her eyes. After relaying a brief message over the communicator, the rest of the Titans rushed into the room, and Raven read the contents outloud for their benefit. They had a right to know.**

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**

"'I'm sorry you guys, I gotta get going. I need some time to think. Everything seems less, for lack of a better term, real. My past is coming back to haunt me and I need to go look for her. I loved her and maybe I still do, but I can't simply stay here to defend the city and look for her. If you attempt to catch two rabbits, you will capture none. I have to focus on my search or stay here and protect the city. I have made my decision. I'm leaving the Titans. I don't know if I'll come back or if I'll wind up dead, but I want you to know that the best years of my life were spent simply being with you guys. I had no right to consider myself a Titan amongst you all. You were always stronger than I ever was and I guarantee you won't need my help to safeguard Jump, I promise I will return or die trying and if I do come back, I will be strong. Until we meet again.'"

Even now, Raven could still feel the paper in her hands, clenched tightly in her fists until the sloppy print crumpled into hot darkness, despite staring at Beast Boy— now a man— sitting right before her. Her emotions fluxed into a variety of emotions, anger, relief, joy, sorrow, skepticism, or fear; what could possibly prompt the man to make his return now after so long? Only Beast man knew.

"That was what you wrote all those years ago. We looked high and low for you, across cities, countries, and continents. We tracked you down, but each and every time we got close you would disappear, almost as if you didn't want your _family_ to find you. Now that you're back, we just don't know,_ I just don't know_!" she said, seething.

"Wait, Raven, I–." Raven interrupted before Beast Man could explain himself.

"And you just expect us to let you back in? Why? Why this long and why now? It makes no sense," she said, pausing at last, taking a deep breath to center her temper.

The green man could only manage a helpless apology. "I'm sorry."

They indulged in mutual silence; the sun eventually rose and the remainder of the Titans filed out of the doorway.

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A/N-Hello to all readers out there. for those who actually subscribed to my story, i offer my deepest apologies. Truely, the wait was not worth it and i expect a few angry reviews by the end of this chapter. But sadly Life and lazyness combined into one which prevented me from even continuing the story you all seem to llike. Anyways, id also like to thank Danko Kaji who was kind enough to help me through the editing process. To say the least it was a bitch.


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